Council Approves Local Atheneum On Oxford Model

The Student Council last night approved the charter of the Harvard Atheneum, the University's answer to the Oxford Union and Yale Political Union.

Atheneum, Latin for "a school for oratory," was the name picked Sunday night by a group of representatives of University political and debating organizations, the House Committees and the Student Council.

Rhetoric and Oratory

According to the charter the aim of the Atheneum is "to foster and perpetuate rhetoric and oratory by sponsoring an intelligent and responsible quolloquia of the articulate members of the Harvard Community and distinguished guests."

Spokesmen for the Atheneum planning committee, Roger A. Moore '53 and Milton S. Gwirtzman '54, said last night College and graduate students interested in joining the group should consult the Notice Column of the CRIMSON this week. They also announced the first meeting had tentatively been scheduled for April 12.

Official Sanction

John M. Gregg '52, who drew up the Council-approved charter, said last night he hoped for official University sanction before Easter recess. Already, according to Gregg, a number of faculty members have offered themselves as sponsors. These include William Y. Elliott, Williams Professor of Government, Oscar Handlin, associate professor of History, McGeorge Bundy and Robert McCloskey, associate professors of Government, and William Moffitt, assistant professor of Physics. Both Eliot and Moffitt attended Oxford, Eliott as a Rhodes Scholar.

The charter was passed by the Council after ten minutes of questioning.